Mount Tzouhalem rises to about 580 metres directly north of Cowichan Bay, and its network of trails — managed partly as a municipal forest, partly as Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve — is some of the best hiking on Vancouver Island for its accessibility. The lower slopes have Garry oak meadows that bloom in spring, and the upper trails give panoramic views across Cowichan Bay, the Saanich Peninsula, and the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.
The mountain is named for a 19th-century Cowichan warrior of extraordinary ferocity who was reputed to have killed over 80 people before being shot himself in 1854. The trails start near Duncan and can be combined into loops of two to five hours depending on how high you want to go. Mountain biking is also popular on the lower trails.